Bad sign for TikTok security talks with Biden team as consultant hires delayed
Christopher Hutton
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TikTok has put a hold on hiring consultants to help the company fulfill a pending security agreement with White House officials, the latest sign of tension in the Chinese-operated company’s efforts to adapt to U.S. security concerns.
TikTok had discussed, as a concession to the Biden administration, having third-party employees review TikTok’s operations and reporting to the United States government to ensure that the app’s code and algorithm were not being misused by the app’s China-based parent company, ByteDance. TikTok began hiring people for these roles in early December, but the prospective employees were informed this week that the process was on hold, according to Reuters.
The consultants in question were told that the freeze was due to “recent developments” but were not told any more.
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While TikTok has been in security negotiations since early fall, the company has continued to miss deadlines, and its discussions have floundered. As the negotiations have dragged on, state and federal lawmakers have passed legislation restricting the app on government-owned devices.
TikTok had previously proposed to the White House that its app codes and algorithms be reviewed by “transparency centers” operated by the U.S. server company Oracle. It would also have a proxy board to handle business decisions in the U.S. and hire consultants to review its code.
TikTok announced in June that it was moving all U.S. data to Oracle servers after a Buzzfeed News report alleging that Chinese employees could access U.S. data. Oracle also said it would review TikTok’s algorithm to ensure Chinese authorities were not manipulating it.
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TikTok has been under increased scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators over the company’s relationship with ByteDance, which appears to have overlapping interests with the Chinese Communist Party. Congress passed a ban on installing TikTok on government devices, including a ban on installing it on House-owned phones.
These restrictions are not enough for some, though. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) advocate a complete ban on TikTok in the U.S.